Low-income commuters blast ‘unfair’ MTA fares

Activists blasted Mayor Bill de Blasio and the MTA Friday for what they describe as unfair transit fares.

Nicole Ubinas is one of millions of New Yorkers who use public transportation.

"I would like to say to Mayor de Blasio, If you are a transit advocate, and if you really care about low-income New Yorkers, then what will you do about the 800,000 New Yorkers who cannot afford to pay for these MetroCards?" Ubinas say. "My mother's a single mother who works seven days, and just last week she had to use money from her rent payment in order to take my grandmother to the hospital."

The group Riders Alliance is asking the city to cut the price of MetroCards in half for low-income commuters.

"One in four low-income New Yorkers cannot afford to get on the subway or bus," says Rebecca Balin, a member of the organization. "They're walking long distances. They're jumping turnstiles or begging for swipes or skipping meals. It's degrading."

For his part, de Blasio says he supports the fair fares movement, but he says the MTA is controlled by the state. He wants Albany to consider funding the program.